Read Valknut: The Binding for Free Online Page B

surprise me, he said.” Doug smiled bitterly, remembering
Austin’s triumphant grin when Doug answered the door. Guests were
due to arrive any moment, and Austin was all greasy hair and diesel
fumes. Doug had made him take a shower.
    “He left the next morning, maybe ten o’clock.
He was still drunk when he got on that train.” Austin never would
have forgotten his jean jacket, otherwise. The idiot was probably
half frozen by the time he...
    “That stupid sonofabitch. I told him I’d buy
him a bus ticket, even a plane ticket, but he wouldn’t let me. He
said he hated that recycled air, that it contained more germs than
oxygen.” He remembered Austin laughing at his arguments, calling
him Dad. Doug’s voice broke. “Damn kid said he didn’t want to get
sick.”
    He could still see the train pulling out of
the yard and Austin’s arm emerging from the grainer’s cubbyhole to
wave goodbye. “I should have dragged him onto that bus.”
    Lost in those final moments, Doug hardly
noticed when Briggs pushed back from the table and walked Sam to
the door. Their voices murmured for a moment and the door closed.
Doug looked up and realized he and Briggs were alone in the
room.
    “I sent Sam to check train schedules. It
should take him a few minutes,” Briggs said. “Before we continue,
you want some coffee?”
    “No. Thanks. Look, let’s just get on with
this.” Restless, Doug was hardly able to stay in the chair. It was
time to do something.
    Briggs sighed and returned to his seat. “So,
you’re stationed at Fort Bragg under Colonel Norton, right?”
    “Can we just skip the formalities? I’ve been
getting the run around all morning and I’ve about had it. Now,
either you can start giving me some answers—or I’m gonna start
getting noisy.”
    Briggs picked up the file folder and tapped
it on the table, straightening the pages within. He went on as if
Doug hadn’t said anything. “My father served with Colonel Norton
years ago. Norton is like an uncle to me. In fact, he just gave me
a call this morning.” He looked at Doug across the top of the
folder. “He spoke very highly of you and suggested you might be
able to help us. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you much without
risking compromising our investigation.”
    A hollow ache filled Doug’s stomach. They
weren’t going to tell him a thing. “Come on, that’s a load of crap.
This is my brother we’re talking about. My only family. I was
supposed to take care of him. What a great job I did of that.” His
voice cracked and he swallowed hard before continuing. “And now his
killer is running around loose out there. You can’t expect me to
crawl back to Fort Bragg like a good boy and wait for answers.”
    Briggs hesitated. He pursed his lips and
looked as if he wanted to tell Doug something. Then he sighed and
said, “I’m sorry. I wish I could give you the details. I could use
any help you might be able to give. But all I can tell you is that
a serial killer got him. He was tied up, knifed, and left to die
sometime before he got to Topeka.” He shook his head grimly.
“That’s a lot of territory to cover, even with the help of the
local P.D. and the FBI.”
    “Dammit, you gotta give me more than that. I
got that much from the morning newspaper.”
    Briggs gave Doug a speculative look and
seemed to come to a decision. He placed the folder at the center of
the table. “Are you certain you wouldn’t like that cup of
coffee?”
    “What? Damn it, no. I don’t drink the
stuff.”
    Briggs leaned closer, looking at him
intently. “Now would be a good time to start.”
    He raised an eyebrow, waiting. Doug let his
gaze drop to the file folder between them. Coffee suddenly seemed
like a good idea. He drew a deep breath. “Uh, yes, thanks. Cream
and sugar, though.”
    Briggs gave him a grim little smile. “I think
the crud in the pot is a bit old. I’ll brew some fresh. Be back in
say...fifteen minutes?”
    As soon as the door closed, Doug reached